Apprehension
by InSilva
Summary: Reputation and past actions can have unfortunate consequences. And sometimes it's not all about them.  Set after O13.  Danny/Tess, Rusty/Isabel. Warnings for profanity. In progress.
1. Prologue and Performance

Apprehension by InSilva

Disclaimer: don't own any of the Ocean's characters.

Summary: Reputation and past actions can have unfortunate consequences. And sometimes it's not all about them. Set after O13. Danny/Tess, Rusty/Isabel. Warnings for profanity.

A/N: started writing this about April 2009. Other things have intruded. :) By posting, I kind of commit to finishing it. Oh, yes, I do. *coughsatsomepointcoughs* And is for otherhawk who has patiently waited for more to be written. Oh, who am I kidding? For otherhawk who has impatiently waited for more to be written. ;)

* * *

><p><em>Prologue <em>

"I cannot believe you asked me for this information!" There was fervent Gallic indignation followed by a muttered "I cannot believe I am giving it to you".

There was a slightly dramatic sigh and a shrug as if the other person present was happy to humour the sentiment.

"It's a simple enough question. I cannot believe it would present unnecessary inconvenience on your part…where are they?"

* * *

><p>Chapter One: Performance<p>

The grin started slow and deep and spread over Rusty's face, lighting him up, his eyes, alive with appreciation.

"Wow," he mouthed and Isabel smiled.

"You would say that about any outfit," she pointed out, smoothing down the burgundy silk and he didn't deny it.

Isabel leaned forward and straightened his bow tie.

"You look very attractive this evening," she told him.

He bent his head and brushed his lips against her neck.

"Keep thinking that," he suggested and she gave a little shiver of anticipation.

"Actually…" Rusty checked his watch. "Actually, we could-"

"We can't," Isabel said immediately. "We're meeting Tess and Danny in-"

"Traffic," Rusty interrupted.

Isabel blinked. "What about it?"

"It's going to be impossible," Rusty said solemnly.

Isabel shook her head. "Incorrigible."

"It's going to be that too," he agreed.

"Robert," she scolded but let him take her by the hand all the same.

* * *

><p>The bell to summon them to their seats had just gone as they arrived in the theatre foyer. Tess took a step forward, smiling, just a hint of relief oozing through.<p>

"So nice to see you again," she said warmly, embracing Isabel and kissing Rusty on the cheek.

Danny looked from one to the other and the smile gleamed in his eyes. "How was the traffic?"

"Incorrigible," Rusty replied, his grin wide.

"We've got seats in the stalls," Tess said, ignoring the pair of them and talking to Isabel.

"How lovely," Isabel smiled at her as Tess led the way into the theatre. "I'll confess I've never been to a gala performance before."

"Oh, it's a chance to dress up," Tess told her, running a hand down her own black taffeta ballgown. "Dress up and socialise and I've wanted to hear this soprano since forever."

Rusty nodded after Tess. "She has a sparkle in her eye."

Danny's lips twitched. "So does Isabel. Now I know Tess's is down to the forthcoming performance. I'm thinking Isabel's is down to traffic."

"Here we are." Tess cut off Rusty's rejoinder, starting to edge past ankles and knees.

"Oh." Rusty stopped short.

"Snacks," Danny said with understanding. "I'll go pick something up."

"Popcorn?" Rusty asked hopefully as Danny disappeared back to the foyer.

"Not popcorn!" Tess called forlornly after Danny.

Isabel flashed a sympathetic smile. "I'll go and tell him."

Tess and Rusty took their seats and listened to the orchestra tuning up. The theatre was full of glamour and chatter and Rusty's attention was almost completely on the occasion. Not on the steward leaning over the seat in front to hand Tess a programme.

"I think you dropped this, ma'am."

Not on the diamonds on display or the sapphire earrings two rows down or the emerald necklace in front of him or the-

"Oh!"

It was small and it was full of meaning and Rusty's head snapped round to Tess. She was staring white-faced at the programme, her hand over her mouth. Rusty leaned over and read:

_Looking good, Tess._

He raised his eyes to her face.

"Whose handwriting?" he asked quietly and she jumped a little at the question. She looked as if she was about to deny the obvious. Rusty's eyes were busy telling her not to try.

"Terry's," she said tightly.

Rusty looked for the steward. Nowhere in sight. He scanned the theatre, faces and faces and faces, blurring and none familiar. And then up in a box, a man with opera glasses in one hand, his other hand resting on top of a cane. A hand was laid on Rusty's arm and he turned back to Tess.

"Don't tell Danny," she whispered.

His eyes flicked back up to the box. Terry was gone.

"Let's not let Terry spoil things," Tess asked and there was just a hint of pleading there.

Well, Rusty approved of that sentiment. He smiled reassuringly at Tess and she relaxed in his promise.

* * *

><p>The soprano's performance was well-received. Applause rang out. People got to their feet. Rusty shot a glance sideways at Tess, eyes shining, mouth slightly open, face flushed with happiness. She looked as if she had put thoughts of Terry aside. Rusty looked past her at Danny, standing, clapping, smiling and knew that as little as Danny cared for opera, he loved seeing Tess happy.<p>

Casually, Rusty glanced up at the box. Still no Terry.

"You alright?" Isabel asked him and he smiled at her.

"I'm fine. Why?" he asked sotto voce. "You worried about the traffic? 'Cos, I hear it can get busy in here."

Isabel's eyes widened and Rusty's fingers glanced over her bare arm.

"Oh, you are a shocking man," she murmured.

"That's why you love me," he pointed out. "You've just not had enough shocks in your life."

"Surprises," she corrected. "I like surprises."

"I'll bear that in mind."

Danny reached round Tess and tapped his shoulder. "Intermission."

"Interval." Tess rolled her eyes.

"I'll get the drinks," Danny offered.

They all headed along the row, following the herd. As they reached the aisle, the couples were separated by society niceties that let other people take their turn in heading out to the foyer.

Danny turned his head towards Rusty.

_See you at the bar._

Rusty's hand reached back and found Isabel's. Close. Belonging. His in the way that he was hers. It was a familiar feeling from before he'd met her that he didn't think he would ever tire of. Her fingers squeezed his and told him _happy_ and _always _and he smiled. The language of touch and unspoken: they were both fluent.

By the time Rusty and Isabel made the edge of the crowded foyer, Danny had found his way to the front of the drinks queue but Tess was nowhere in sight. The smile slipped away from Rusty's face and he caught Danny's eye.

_Where's Tess?_

Danny jerked his head in the general direction of the theatre facilities and frowned at him.

_What is it?_

Rusty concentrated on keeping his face blank and threw a careless glance through the crowd. Relief swamped him. Tess was there, fighting her way back through the throng. He glanced across again at Danny who was smiling because he'd seen her too. And then Danny's face changed. Rusty followed his gaze and swore vividly.

"Robert!" Isabel laughed at the profanity but there was no time to explain. There was no time to do anything except shake Isabel free and to plough through theatre goers, driven by the need to reach Tess before Danny did.

_Tess, open-mouthed and wide-eyed, staring…_

Pushing, shoving, no time for politeness, no time for anything…

_Danny, furious and fast, fighting through the crowd…_

Tutting and disapproval loud in his ears and like it_ mattered_…

_Terry, smug and vicious, standing in front of Tess…_

He was there, he was nearly there but so was Danny and maybe neither of them would ever know what Terry had said to Tess but really that didn't matter because he'd said it and it had hurt and that was all that counted because that meant there were consequences and consequences might have consequences and that meant Rusty had to-

A fist was drawn back and the punch landed hard and Terry fell backwards like he'd been shot along a craps table.

After that, things happened quickly.

There was shouting and screaming and there was Tess, horrified, and there was Terry, bleeding from his mouth, and there was Danny, snarling, and Rusty turned from delivering the blow to hold Danny back, his arms wrapped round Danny, and then…_fuck_…then there was a badge being flashed by a cop and a circle cleared around them and Terry was getting to his feet and there was security from nowhere and they were grabbing him and Danny's focus switched immediately and Danny was wrenching arms off him and then Danny was being grabbed too and Isabel had caught up with them and was standing at Tess's shoulder and then the big guys were dragging them away and there were handcuffs being clicked into place behind his back, behind Danny's back and Tess was shouting and Isabel was protesting and he and Danny were pushed through an office door and dumped into plastic seats and found themselves staring up at Terry, at the stout man with the badge, at a large man also in police uniform with "enforceable cooperation" written on his face and at a man who kept licking his lips and swallowing and saying "Oh, my God" over and over.

He glanced Dannyward.

_Theatre manager?_

_Either that or a religious fanatic._

"Well, well, well." Terry was all things self-satisfied. "What do we have here?"

"A failure to communicate?" Rusty grinned. "Never had you down as a _"Cool Hand Luke"_ fan." He turned to Danny on his right. "I am not eating fifty hardboiled eggs."

There was a flicker of tension and then Danny was back with, "To my certain knowledge, you've never eaten one."

"Well, that curry-"

"-in London. Right."

"Never ordering that again."

"That depends on you knowing what you ordered in the first place."

"True, that's a little sketchy."

Terry's cane came down hard on Rusty's right shoulder and Rusty concentrated on keeping his face very, very still.

"Oh. Do I have your attention now?"

They were silent.

"It seems to me, gentlemen, that I have been assaulted. In front of witnesses. Many witnesses." Terry dabbed at the blood on his lip with a pristine handkerchief.

"Including myself," the stout man with the badge added. "Local law enforcement. Name's Bawtry. Don Bawtry. This here's my brother, Clyde."

The large man smiled. Several teeth were missing.

"Let me complete the introductions. Mr Robert Ryan, Mr Danny Ocean," Terry turned to the other man.

"Mr M-Mitchell. Duty manager."

"And I am Terry Benedict." The name was announced as if it carried weight outside of Vegas and Rusty was ridiculously pleased to see that the other three had never heard of Terry.

"What do you want, Terry?"

All play was out of Danny's voice and his eyes were dark little thunderclouds. Rusty could sense the cool, calm collected fury waiting to spill forth. The only thing stopping it was... Actually one of the main causes of it was...

Terry moved till he was standing directly in front of Danny, looking at Danny. He didn't answer Danny. He talked to Bawtry.

"Would I be right in thinking that Mr Ryan here could be arrested for assault? Taken away? Locked up? Prosecuted? Sentenced?"

"That's absolutely true, sir," Bawtry agreed. "Course, he might get off with a fine. Or he might find himself cuddling up to a new friend. Jail's an awful lonely place."

Terry said nothing. He didn't need to. Rusty bit his lip. He knew Terry was letting the pictures play out in Danny's head.

"Then again, obstruction of justice is no light offence," Terry smiled. He moved to stand in front of Rusty and leaned forward. "And maybe," he said softly, "in all the confusion, I mistook exactly who hit me. Maybe it wasn't you after all. Maybe it was an ex-con with a grievance."

"No." The word was out before Rusty could stop it and he bared his teeth at the smugness in Terry's face.

"What do you want, Terry?" The question was repeated and still careful and possibly only Rusty could hear the ferocity and the menace though from the way Mr Mitchell was quivering, perhaps not.

Terry took a step back.

"Maybe, I want an apology. Maybe, I want someone to kiss my lip better."

"Terry..." Rusty's voice was mock-scolding. "You know you only have to ask."

Amusement filled Terry's face. "I was thinking about someone with a more curvaceous figure. Tell me, Danny. Does she still make that little noise that's almost a purr but not qui-"

Danny was out of his seat and charging blindly and then Clyde's arms were holding him back, away from Terry.

"Did you want to press charges, sir?" Bawtry asked and Rusty saw Terry feign hesitation.

"I think so. Neither of them looks very sorry to me."

"Very well, sir. Clyde!"

Bawtry pulled Rusty upright and then the flurry of activity from earlier happened all over again. The door was open and the interval was over and there were only a few onlookers and Tess and Isabel were arguing vehemently with the muscle standing outside and their faces were relieved and worried in equal measures as Bawtry and Clyde manhandled Danny and himself through the foyer and out of the door into biting wind and rain and then down the steps and into a waiting police car _(and why was it waiting?)_ and Danny and he were being forced into the back, one either side and Tess and Isabel were at the wrong doors and still that didn't stop them from saying what the other would have said anyway.

"Stay with Tess," Danny asked Isabel.

"Call Saul," Rusty instructed Tess. "And keep away from Terry."


	2. Vanishing Act

Apprehension by InSilva

Disclaimer: not mine, not mine.

Chapter Two: Vanishing Act

* * *

><p>Wind and rain lashed down unnoticed by Isabel and Tess as they stood and watched the police car disappear into the distance. Unconsciously, they moved until they were shoulder to shoulder.<p>

"They'll be taken to the local precinct," Isabel said eventually. "Come on, let's go and find them."

* * *

><p>Cuffs biting into his wrists, Rusty sat on the backseat and looked Danny over.<p>

"You ever think that evening dress maybe isn't the luckiest look for you?"

Danny's fingers were busy checking out the cuffs securing his hands behind him. He gave a little grunt of annoyance: they were the real deal.

"I keep hoping this might be a bad dream," he said and gave Rusty a meaningful look. "And I would like to rewind to the part where you were stupid enough to-"

"Oh, I had to and you know-"

"Not your-"

A loud snort interrupted him. "_A__lways_ my-"

"Rus." Quiet and pained.

They looked at each other.

"It'll be OK," Rusty reassured him in a low voice. "I'm hardly going to be banged up for throwing a punch. Jails would be heaving if that was the case."

Danny was silent and the worry and the fear ran rampant through his eyes. Rusty sighed.

"Should have known Terry was up to no-" he began and then almost seamlessly, "So, what's the form? We get to the station and they book us in? They're gonna take our photos right? Now I know why you wear black tie to go to prison. And how easily does that fingerprint stuff come off any-"

"Terry?" Danny cut through the diversionary tactic and his tone was sharp and so were his eyes. "What about Terry?"

There was a sliver of hesitation as if Rusty was daring to imagine he could lie and get away with it.

_Rus._

There was warning in there and Rusty grimaced in the face of the inevitable.

"Before you and Isabel sat down, Terry sent Tess a message. On a programme delivered by a helpful steward. Told her she was looking good." Rusty took a deep breath. "He was up in one of the boxes, watching her."

Unblinking, Danny stared at him.

"You didn't think to share this with me."

"I didn't want to spoil the evening. Terry disappeared before the thing started and Tess was-"

"Leave Tess out of this!" Danny hissed. "How could you not tell me?"

"It didn't seem important," Rusty argued. "I mean it seemed _Terry_, it seemed a petty little dig but…" he tailed off and then added quietly, "I guess I was wrong."

_Oh, you think?_

The fury on Danny's face was no less ferocious for being silent and its unusual subject bit his lip.

Separated from them by the metal grille that ran through the middle of the car, Clyde and Bawtry sat in silence, the car travelling steadily onward.

* * *

><p>Wolfwhistles accompanied their entrance into the police station.<p>

"Enough of that," a cop admonished the group of youths in his charge who promptly dissolved into sniggers and lewd gestures

Tess flushed and Isabel smiled tightly, coldly tolerant, as they made their way to the main desk.

"Sergeant…Tyler," Isabel acknowledged, reading the namebadge. She radiated instant command and authority and Sergeant Tyler stood ever so slightly taller. "My friend and I are trying to locate two men who were arrested earlier this evening."

Tyler ran a thoughtful tongue over his bottom lip and his gaze over the pair of them. Presumably it wasn't every day he had to deal with two bedraggled women in evening gowns. Isabel stared him out.

"Names?" he asked abruptly.

"Tess Ocean," Tess began and Isabel shushed her.

"Daniel Ocean and Robert Ryan" she supplied, eyes clear and hard and not about to take any nonsense.

Tyler scanned his paperwork and then looked up with a regretful expression.

"Sorry, ladies, neither of those gentlemen have been booked in here tonight."

"Oh, please!" Tess leaned over the desk and touched his arm. "Please look again!"

Tyler patted her hand kindly. "How are you spelling their names?"

* * *

><p>Silence was not unusual. Silence was comfortable. Silence said as much as words.<p>

The silence between them in the car was hateful.

Danny was staring stonily at Bawtry through the grille and not looking at Rusty at all. Rusty studied the back of Clyde's head as he drove and tried to think of another way to apologise.

He'd tried _I'm sorry._ He'd tried _Danny. _Danny wasn't talking. Danny wasn't sharing. Danny was angry. With Terry, obviously, with circumstances, naturally, but most of all, Danny was angry with _him._

He _had_ to look at him at some point. Surely. Certainly given what had happened, Rusty could understand the anger. If Danny had known, he would never have let Terry get close to Tess. To be caught unprepared and to have Tess insulted and to wind up with both of them arrested… Yeah. He could understand the rage.

Sighing, Rusty glanced out of the car window. He squinted. Then, he suddenly sat up straighter and pressed his shoulder against Danny's. Danny turned his head towards him.

_Danny-_

_I'm not talking to you, remember._

_Danny-_

_Save it, Rus. _

_Danny!_

_What?_

_Where are we?_

* * *

><p>Danny's eyes were scouring the surroundings they were travelling through. It was very obvious that they were no longer in the city.<p>

"Actually…" Danny looked at the flat and empty landscape. "Actually, I think we might be in Kansas." He looked at Rusty and asked in a low voice. "Did you get a proper look at the badge?"

Rusty's face tightened. "No. You?"

"Too busy watching Terry gloat."

_Damn._

_You said it._

"OK, what we got?"

"Something helpful but it's in my inside left pocket. You?"

"Same but inside right," Rusty said. "You sure you haven't got something up your sleeve? I mean that's just usually you."

"Guess that makes this unusual."

Bawtry swung round in his seat and interrupted the conversation. "Nearly there, gentlemen."

"Nearly where?" Rusty asked.

"Cells are all full at the station," Bawtry said easily. "Taking you under my jurisdiction to an alternative place of detention."

As if on cue, the car turned off the main road and headed up an unlit farm track.

"You gentlemen don't have to worry about a thing," Bawtry continued as the car bounced along the uneven ground. "We got food and water here for you just as fine as they have down at the station. We'll look after you mighty nicely."

"Where are we going?" Danny demanded.

The car slammed to a halt with such force that Rusty skidded off the seat and landed on his back in the footwell with an exclamation as the wind was knocked out of him.

"Well, we do appear to have arrived," Bawtry grinned.

Clyde got out of the car and opened the back door Rusty's side.

"Shoes and socks, Clyde," Bawtry instructed and Clyde caught hold easily of Rusty's feet and stripped them bare, despite the struggles and kicks offered. Then he reached in and hauled Rusty out of the vehicle.

Bawtry climbed out and opened the other door. He smiled in at Danny.

"If you please, Mr Ocean."

Danny shot a look over at Rusty, standing in front of Clyde with Clyde's hand firmly gripping Rusty's shoulder and then turned back to Bawtry. With a sigh, he swung his legs out and allowed Bawtry to pull his shoes and socks off too.

* * *

><p>"I'm sorry, Mrs Ocean." Tyler was ignoring Isabel: his sympathy was all for Tess. "There's no record of either of those gentlemen being taken into custody. Are you quite sure-"<p>

"Am I quite sure that my husband was arrested?" Tess snapped. "Funnily enough, the clue was seeing him marched away in handcuffs and sitting in the back of a police car. Have you listened to a single word we've said?"

Tyler frosted over immediately. "I'm sorry, ma'am. I can't help you."

"But there's something wrong here!" Tess insisted. "Something's very wrong!"

"Come on, Tess." Isabel's hand was on her elbow.

"No! Isabel, where are they? What aren't they telling us?"

"Come _on_, Tess." And Isabel's tone was firm and her hand even more so.

Tess stared at her long and hard and then gave an exasperated little noise and allowed herself to be led away. Only when they were outside and walking down the steps did she shake off Isabel's hand.

"They're the police, Isabel," Tess pointed out angrily. "They're supposed to be able to help us."

Isabel nodded. "They're supposed to. Doesn't mean they will."

And before Tess could respond, she added, "I need a drink. Let's find somewhere."

* * *

><p>The waitress brought their drinks over and Isabel saw her eyes glance over the long frocks and raise an eyebrow. Obviously, not the norm. But nothing was the norm, tonight.<p>

"Thank you, Sebastian." Isabel clicked her phone shut on the conversation and let out a sigh. "Well, I'm not official anymore but I still have contacts. They've not been booked in to any police station in this city."

She sat deep in thought, rolling her own glass of bourbon between her hands. This wasn't her city and that bit. If it had been Rome or Amsterdam, even Los Angeles where she had started making connections, she'd have known exactly which informant to go to, exactly which official to lean on. It was all about feeling comfortable and secure and it was precisely for moments like this when the shit hit the fan.

"Rusty said to call Saul," Tess volunteered, breaking into her thoughts and hesitated before adding, "and to keep away from Terry."

Isabel frowned. "What is it with you and Terry?"

Tess looked down at the glass in her hand. "When Danny was inside, I…I hooked up with Terry. For a while. A little while," she added hastily. "Danny and I were separated and everything was such a mess in New York and Terry was... He was so different to Danny."

"Rebound guys often are," Isabel suggested, sipping the bourbon. "After Robert left me in Rome, I dated a personal trainer. Believe me, I never want to open up the refrigerator and find rows of probiotic yoghurt again."

Somehow with Robert she didn't think that would be a problem.

Robert.

Where was he?

She pushed the anxiety down and looked over at Tess, still staring at her drink. Dating Terry Benedict. And now Tess was back with Danny. From what she knew about Terry, Isabel could see how that was not good.

"So this evening, Terry-" she began.

"He was obscene." Tess's voice was shaking, the distaste rippling through it. "He suggested I could…that I was just a…that he-he…" She broke off and took a long, long drink while Isabel filled in the blanks.

"Well, that makes more sense. I mean as to why Robert punched him." She saw Tess's surprise. "He was protecting Danny, wasn't he?"

The surprise remained. "You can see that?"

"Can't you?" It was Isabel's turn to be surprised.

"Yes, obviously, yes. It's just…I mean…" Tess sighed. "I don't know what I mean."

She looked at Isabel and all the worry that Isabel was doing her best to manage was right there on Tess's face.

"Where have they gone?" Tess said miserably. "I mean it's like they've vanished."

"Which means this is something out of the ordinary." Isabel took a deep breath and broke the news. "Something out of the legal, too, Tess."

"The police-"

"We can report them missing. Police won't start looking immediately and when they do, it won't be with anything like the urgency that we would."

Tess digested the information then licked her lips. "What do we have to do to get them back?"

Isabel drained the whisky. "Whatever's necessary."

"But if we can't go to the police," Tess persisted, "then what do we do?"

"That's easy," Isabel smiled. "I guess we start by calling Saul."


	3. Arrival

Apprehension by InSilva

Disclaimer: Still don't own. That should not be a surprise.

A/N: Day 2 of the 2011 Advent Calendar. Offered with virtual chocolate. And glitter.

Chapter Three: Arrival

* * *

><p>It was possible they had been in stranger situations. It was more than possible that there would be future situations of equal peculiarity. As it was, standing handcuffed and barefoot and almost certainly abducted in a large farmhouse kitchen and being greeted by a little old lady with big blue eyes who looked like she had "sweet" written all the way through her…well, that was definitely in both their top tens.<p>

"Fuck…" Rusty muttered with a mirthless laugh and Bawtry's fist connected with the side of his face.

Unable to save himself, he fell sideways on to the tiled floor. Bawtry dragged him back to his feet.

"What the fuck-"

Rusty's indignation was cut off with a backhanded blow that sent him to the floor again. Bawtry's foot rested on his chest and Bawtry bent his knee, his weight pinning Rusty down, leaning down to talk to him.

"There will be no profanity in front of my mother, Mr Ryan. Is that quite understood?"

Rusty's eyes flicked from Bawtry to Clyde to Danny…Danny silently begging him not to do the stupid thing. And he'd already done that once tonight. Bawtry shifted his weight and the pressure on his chest increased.

"Is that understood?" he asked again.

_Oh, well, what the hell. _Rusty grinned up at him. "Fuck, yeah."

Bawtry took his foot away and tutted. "Clyde? I think Mr Ryan has a serious issue with authority. Not to mention manners. He needs a little tuition."

"My pleasure," Clyde rumbled and hauled Rusty upright and back out of the door and as he disappeared, Rusty saw the look that was a successful mix of the helpless, the exasperated and the fearful on Danny's face.

"Let's check your pockets, Mr Ocean," Bawtry suggested, patting him down and pulling out any and everything useful.

"You going to tell me what this is about?" Danny asked. "Because I've been arrested before and this is nothing like how it goes down."

Bawtry chuckled. "All in good time, Mr Ocean. Now take a seat," he invited, pulling out a chair at the kitchen table. "It's possible Clyde might be a while."

Danny didn't have too many choices. He sat down and smiled a smile that he was nowhere near feeling as the old lady fussed round him, setting the table.

"I didn't know we were having any more guests, Don," she clucked and Bawtry looked shame-faced.

"I'm sorry, Ma. It was a last minute thing."

"Such a handsome, well-turned out young man, too."

Danny's smile turned up a notch. "Mrs Bawtry, you say the nicest things."

She giggled and went to the oven. "Lucky I made enough to go round."

Silence filled the kitchen and Danny resisted the urge to watch the back door. He wanted to. He wanted to charge out of there right now and find Rusty and…and Bawtry was watching him. Bawtry was watching him closely. Bawtry was busy looking for reaction.

Danny had seen it before. Not often but occasionally. People who knew what they were looking for and how to use it. It was a sophisticated strategy and Bawtry surprised him by adopting it. And the equation was a simple one to calculate.

If Danny showed any anxiety that was out of the ordinary as far as Rusty's welfare was concerned, then Bawtry would know what to do to control him. And that could mean – _would _mean - more pain for Rusty. It usually did. It was all too fascinating a concept for someone to leave it alone once they'd discovered it.

Worked the other way too, of course. And Rusty knew the rules as well as he did. No weakness. Nothing to exploit.

So he sat and smiled and made polite small talk with Mrs Bawtry and waited and kept his face calm and even and all the time, he ached to dive out of the door and to find Clyde and to explain to him, even with both hands tied behind his back, how very wrongly he was behaving.

* * *

><p>This wasn't the way the world worked for Tess. It was worse than finding out that Danny had been arrested because at least that was within the rules that she understood. Right now, she felt like she had when she'd been on the phone to Danny and looked out of the window and seen Terry and everything usual had fallen away.<p>

She sat and watched as Isabel explained what had happened to Saul and she tried to guess the other side of the conversation. Isabel's expression moved between controlled and expressive but she wasn't giving much away with her words.

"I see." An eyebrow raised. "Are you-?" A long pause. "OK. No, that's fine. This is where Rusty and I were staying." She gave the address. There was another pause and then her voice turned business-like. "Don't be ridiculous, Saul, or I will speak to Marian." Her voice softened. "Look after yourself."

She closed the call and sighed.

"Saul had an argument with a ladder yesterday and broke his leg."

Tess winced. "How is he?"

"Back home now. He's all for coming down here," Isabel said, adding doubtfully, "but I _think_ he's going to listen to sense."

"Marian won't let him," Tess said at once. She'd met Marian. Warm and pleasant and definitely no-nonsense.

"No. He said he'd contact the others."

The others. The others who moved in the world of the con. Reuben and Frank and Bobby and all of them. She'd gotten to know them as individuals over the last few years. Danny's idea. He was trying so hard to involve her, to acclimatise her gently.

"Come on," Isabel said. "Saul's going to send reinforcements. Let's get back to the apartment."

That didn't make sense to Tess because her home was closer than the rented apartment but maybe Isabel hadn't thought about that. She'd leave it for now because there was a more important point to discuss.

"We can't go back to anywhere. We need to be doing something," she insisted stubbornly. "They're out there and we have to find them. We _have _to."

She wasn't going to lose Danny again. Not after all they'd been through.

"We will, Tess." Isabel sounded definite. Like nothing was going to stop her and Tess envied her the control and the impassive. "But we're not going to do it in ballgowns."

A laugh exploded from Tess and she slapped her hand over mouth, shocked at herself.

"It's OK." Isabel smiled. And then the smile wavered. "It'll be OK."

And Tess saw her eyes and realised Isabel was just as scared as she was.

* * *

><p>Rusty was propelled through the back door and however hard he tried, Danny couldn't control the little sag of relief in his shoulders at seeing him again. He gave Rusty a casual once over. Rusty's face was unmarked but there was the fresh remnant of pain in Rusty's eyes that suggested Clyde had not been gentle.<p>

_How you doing?_

_I'll live. You?_

_All the better for seeing you._

"You're back just in time for supper," Bawtry beamed. "Oh, pat him down, Clyde, would you?"

Danny watched Rusty's lips curl just a fraction as Clyde pawed his way over him, fishing out phone and keys and other assorted essentials and tossing them on the side.

"I can tell you enjoy your job, Clyde," Rusty said, tight-lipped, as Clyde's fingers lingered on his body.

"I believe Clyde does take pleasure in his work," Bawtry agreed. He picked up the little sharp-bladed tool with interest. "Well, well. I have this little fella's twin just here. Who'd have thought? Is he clean, Clyde?"

"Yeah," Clyde nodded, straightening up. "He'll do."

Rusty sat down heavily the other side of the table, opposite Danny.

"Make yourself comfortable, Mr Ryan," Bawtry suggested. "Ma's about to serve up."

Bawtry sat at the head of the table and Clyde took his seat beside Rusty. A plate of meat and vegetables and gravy was placed in front of each of them by Ma.

"Are you still on duty, Don, or can you have a beer?" she asked fondly.

"Beer sounds good, Ma," Bawtry smiled at her. "One for Clyde too."

And two Buds, nicely chilled, were produced.

"What about our other guests?"

"Don't you worry none about them, Ma. They got water aplenty if they want it. Well, dig in, gentlemen."

Bawtry and Clyde started eating with gusto and Ma sat down in a rocking chair close by, busying herself with needlework. Danny and Rusty looked at the plates of food and then up at each other and frowned slightly.

_You hungry?_

_No more than usual. Danny...do you think-_

_One way to find out._

Danny cleared his throat and stated the obvious. "Mr Bawtry? We both still have our hands cuffed behind our back. Would appreciate it if you'd free us so that we can enjoy Mrs Bawtry's delicious cooking."

There was a giggle from Ma as she worked on the sampler and an altogether nastier look of amusement on Clyde's face.

"I just bet you'd like that, Mr Ocean. Bet you'd like me to hand over the keys to the car outside too while I'm at it. No, I'm sorry. The cuffs stay on."

There was a pause and they worked their way through that thought and looked at each other hard to make sure the other had got it.

"You expect us to eat without using our hands," Rusty said.

Bawtry paused and chewed for a moment. "That's about the size of it."

Danny's nose wrinkled slightly and it earned him a flash of amusement from Rusty and then the amusement fell away.

_What?_

_Hoping I'm wrong._

"You mentioned water," Rusty said. "I'm kind of thirsty right now."

Bawtry's grin was in no way reassuring.

"Show him, Clyde."

Clyde put his knife and fork down and wiped the gravy off his chin, then got to his feet and dragged Rusty upright.

"You really need to work on your people skills," Rusty told him earnestly and Danny saw Clyde's fingers tighten.

There was a certain relish in the way Clyde pulled Rusty across the tiled floor and then shoved him hard in the middle of his back so that Rusty fell to earth, his cheek breaking his fall. Danny winced inwardly for him.

"There," Clyde said.

Rusty raised his head to find a dog bowl filled with water.

"You're gonna have to share," Bawtry told Danny with unmeant apology. "But any time you fellas want a refill, you just have to ask."

Danny saw Rusty sit up and the look flashed across to him.

_I hate being right._

"Can you pass that box down, Ma? That's right. That big one. Thanks." Bawtry fished inside the box and produced a Polaroid camera. He trained it in Rusty's direction. "You want to take a drink, Mr Ryan, you go right ahead when you're ready."

"The urge has left me," Rusty grinned at him and turned to Clyde. "Sorry to interrupt your meal."

Bawtry sighed. "Bring him back, Clyde."

As Rusty was returned to his seat, Bawtry put the camera to one side.

"So that we know where we stand, gentlemen. The cuffs stay on. You can eat, you can drink, you'll have shelter for the night. And whenever you want to relieve yourselves, you let Clyde know. He'll take you to the bathroom."

"But the cuffs stay on." Danny got it. He heard the little hiss that meant Rusty got it too.

"Clyde can help you out there," Bawtry advised and Danny bit his lip at the look Clyde was shooting in Rusty's direction. Bawtry's expression hardened. "We quite clear on everything?"

Danny looked down at the food and across at the water bowl and then at the camera. "Crystal," he agreed.

* * *

><p>AN: Marian appears in "One Year, Two Years, Always, Ever".


	4. Night

Apprehension by InSilva

Disclaimer: did not create and do not own.

Chapter Four: Night

* * *

><p>The taxi deposited Tess and Isabel on the sidewalk and pulled away. Isabel stared up at the apartment hoping she was wrong. Staying here had been pretty much a last minute decision, after all. She could be wrong. The trouble was she could be right. She fished in her purse and produced a set of keys, holding them out to Tess. Tess took them automatically.<p>

"Why do I-?" Tess broke off as she saw Isabel take out the gun.

Isabel hesitated for a moment, looking at Tess's black taffeta and then down at her own dress. Handguns and ballgowns. Terrific. She bent down quickly and gathered the burgundy silk up, tying it ludicrously high on her hip, the material flowing over the knot into an improvised mini-skirt. She slipped off her shoes and pushed them into Tess's hands.

"Keep behind me," Isabel instructed and Tess nodded, her eyes wide.

They climbed up the steps to the apartment and Isabel took the keys from Tess, motioning her to one side. She unlocked the door carefully, listening hard, the adrenaline flooding her mouth. It had been an age since she'd tried this sort of thing and it wasn't like she ever enjoyed it.

_Geneva and standing outside Weitz's hideaway…the first hail of bullets shattering the wood in the door frame, the second wave of ammo burying themselves into Tonio's shoulder…_

Firmly, she pushed away the memories. Another country, another time. Focus on the moment.

"Stay here," she mouthed and then, feeling faintly ridiculous, she took a deep breath and kicked the door open.

She went low into the apartment, twisting round immediately, trying to cover all angles at once. Nothing. No one. She rolled upright and checked out the rooms one by one. No one. Nothing.

Isabel exhaled slowly.

"You can come in," she called.

Tess appeared in the doorway, her face white. "Are you OK?"

Isabel smiled, feeling her heart-rate drop to somewhere near sanity. "Nowhere close. Come in and lock the door."

She put her gun back in her purse and started to unknot the dress, then gave it up as a bad job. Suddenly, she felt exhausted.

Tess pushed the door to at once, fumbling with the lock. She turned round.

"You think they could have been here?" She gasped. "You think they're at our _home_?"

"I'm not certain," Isabel said truthfully and then because Tess deserved to know, "but it is a possibility."

She watched Tess digest the information and manage the shock.

"You OK?"

Tess smiled without humour. "Nowhere close."

She frowned and gestured at Isabel's purse. "You took a gun with you to the theatre tonight?"

Isabel stiffened at the disbelief and the slight distaste in Tess's voice. It was licensed, she was trained how to use it and there had been times when it had saved her life. She didn't _like_ holding a gun in her hand but it had been part of who she was for such a long time that she wasn't afraid to do so.

"I find it reassuring," she said coolly and then changed the subject. "Well, let's get changed." Isabel looked at the slightly taller woman. "I've got a pair of leggings that'll finish partway up your shin but that can't be helped. And you can have any top you fancy. After that…after that, I guess we sit tight till morning."

* * *

><p>Tess pulled on the black sweater, pulling her hair free. She glanced automatically at her reflection in the full-length mirror on the bathroom wall. Isabel hadn't been joking about the leggings; they looked more like capri pants.<p>

Isabel. Tess sighed. She hadn't meant to upset Isabel about the gun. It was more shock than anything firstly, that Isabel owned a weapon and secondly, that she apparently carried it with her at all times. Tess wondered what Rusty thought about that. She sighed again. Probably right now, Rusty had other things on his mind.

Isabel pushed the bathroom door open. She'd changed into jeans and a cream blouse and she handed Tess a pair of flat shoes.

"Here. These fit you?"

They did. Tess opened her mouth to apologise but Isabel shook her head and offered an olive branch of her own.

"You want a coffee?"

"God, yes."

She followed Isabel into the kitchen and sat on a stool at the breakfast bar while Isabel rummaged in the cupboard for mugs.

"We were going to stay in town," Isabel said abruptly. "We were going to stay at the Excelsior. Apparently Robert has fond memories of the chocolate soufflé." She started spooning coffee into mugs. "Instant alright?"

"Fine."

"We were going to stay in town," she said again, "and then I got home last week and Robert had this grin on his face. This sort of up-to-no-good kind of grin."

Tess gave a flicker of a smile, her mind full of the same look on Danny's face. "Yes, I recognise that grin."

The kettle boiled and Isabel poured the hot water into the mugs.

"Robert had booked this place. Said it was more…private." Isabel's lips curved upwards. "It seems like ever since we got back together…"

She trailed off and Tess felt the blush rising in her. Not that she and Danny didn't…even more than…second time around, it was all about the _now_ and the _life's too short_ and it was amazing, even more amazing than the first time and she wouldn't have said that was possible.

Isabel opened up the fridge and picked up the milk. "We got Oreos…and chocolate chip cookies…"

"You got provisions. I'm impressed."

"Robert. He's supremely organised. And seemingly unable to go a day without sugar."

She pushed the biscuits and a mug of coffee in Tess's direction and took a seat opposite.

Tess picked up an Oreo and dunked it. "Why do you call him Robert? When everyone else calls him Rusty?"

Isabel sipped her drink. "Started off as a joke. He called me Izzy. So I called him Robert. He said he liked the way his name sounded in my mouth."

Her face screwed up and then unscrewed itself again. She waved away Tess's concern and cleared her throat.

"So I carried on saying it. After a while, it became a habit. I call him Rusty occasionally when other people do but the rest of the time, it's Robert." She blinked hard. "You ever call Danny Daniel?"

Tess laughed in spite of herself. "No. Though I might start." She hesitated and then voiced a thought that had been troubling her. "Isabel, you think this is personal. What's happening with Danny and Rusty."

"Yes. I think they were targeted," Isabel said heavily. "Someone they've…aggravated."

Tess nodded. They could be aggravating in the extreme.

"And you think _we_ might…that they could be at our home, that they might…"

"Have taken us too," Isabel finished. "Yes. If they wanted leverage, we are the obvious choice."

Using her to get to Danny, using Isabel to get to Rusty…Tess suppressed the shiver. She swallowed and went on.

"So what I don't understand, is why _didn't_ they take all of us? If it's all so obvious. If they've gone to all the trouble of staging this. They could have followed us from the theatre and made some sort of scene outside…"

Isabel frowned and laid the cookie back on the worktop. "Yes, that's true." She stared at Tess. "I don't understand either."

* * *

><p>They'd sat and watched Bawtry and Clyde devour the food and swig the beer while the plates of meat and gravy in front of them slowly congealed.<p>

"You boys not hungry?" Bawtry wiped his mouth on the back of his hand, pushed his plate away and let out a contented belch. "Your loss. Ma makes the best meals in the state."

"You always were a good eater, Don," Mrs Bawtry said fondly. "Me and your father never had a problem getting you to the supper table."

"Knew what was waiting for me, didn't I?" Bawtry grinned. He picked a piece of meat out of his teeth and then nodded to Clyde. "Looks like Mr Ryan and Mr Ocean don't want to indulge. Guessing they're ready to hit the sack."

Clyde nodded and stood up, his large hand wrapping itself around Rusty's arm and dragging Rusty to his feet. Bawtry made a lazy gesture suggesting that Danny stand up too. Danny looked at Rusty, firmly in Clyde's grasp, and complied.

"You want to use the bathroom?" Bawtry enquired pleasantly and they both shook their heads. "This way then, gentlemen."

He got to his feet and opened the back door, ushering them both out into the night. For one reckless moment, Danny contemplated running for it. He could charge Clyde and barrel him over and maybe, maybe in all the confusion, he and Rusty could get away and they could hide in the fields, maybe make their way back to civilisation-

The click of cold steel brought his thoughts skidding to a halt. Bawtry had produced a gun and it was trained on him.

"Oh, Don!" Mrs Bawtry clicked her teeth. "You know I don't like you bringing that thing into the house."

"Sorry, Ma," Bawtry apologised, "but Mr Ocean has to respect my authority. And you do, don't you?"

He moved forward until the gun was firmly in Danny's face.

"You ain't gonna try anything, are you?" he asked in a soft voice, his blue eyes shining with a mixture of danger and eagerness.

Danny was silent. Bawtry was spoiling for a reaction. He could feel the tension and anxiety rippling across the room from Rusty. Not the time to try anything stupid.

"No, Mr Bawtry," he agreed, keeping the emotion from his voice.

Bawtry looked disappointed. He lowered the gun. "Well, come on then. Like I said. Sleeping quarters are this way."

* * *

><p>The ground was hard and stony under their bare feet and neither of them could completely suppress the little grunts of discomfort as Clyde and Bawtry ushered them across the badly-lit yard and into a nearby outbuilding.<p>

Bawtry hit a light-switch and Danny looked round at musty straw and rusty containers that looked as if they'd once been used for food.

"This here barn's where the animals used to shelter," Bawtry informed them.

"No livestock anymore?" Rusty asked. He glanced up at the big man who still had hold of him. "Apart from Clyde here?"

Clyde smiled widely, his remaining teeth glinting in the light but Bawtry's face clouded over.

"No," Bawtry said shortly, walking away.

Huh. Danny's instincts rippled. There was a story there. They just needed to find out what and how to use it.

"Bring 'em over, Clyde."

Clyde reached out and shoved Danny hard in between his shoulder-blades. Danny stumbled forward towards the middle of the barn. There were two wooden supports approximately fifteen feet apart and wrapped round one of them was a shiny new addition.

Danny only had a glimpse of the chain before weight slammed into him unexpectedly from behind, catapulting him to the ground and winding him.

"Sorry," Rusty muttered.

They rolled over, a tangle of limbs and looked up at a grinning Clyde and Bawtry. Danny gritted his teeth. These two were having far too much fun. Bawtry had one end of the chain in his hand.

"Here we are, gentlemen. Sleeping arrangements. Sorry it ain't five stars."

The chain was threaded through first Danny's set of cuffs and then Rusty's. Clyde pulled it tight and fastened it to the far post, securing it in position. The height of it forced their hands just a little bit higher behind their backs than was comfortable.

"You ain't going nowhere," Bawtry pronounced smugly.

He kicked Rusty's legs from under him and Danny grimaced as Rusty fell forward with a stifled cry as his arms were forced up and back and twisted in their sockets. Rusty scrabbled to regain a foothold and glared at an unrepentant Bawtry as he walked round to face them

"Tell you what, I'll leave the light on in case you're scared of the dark. Sweet dreams. Come on, Clyde."

* * *

><p>No matter how hard they tried, Tess and Isabel still weren't coming up with any answers that made sense. They'd migrated from the kitchen and coffee to a bottle of scotch and the couches.<p>

"It's like a bad dream," Tess said miserably. "I keep hoping I'll wake up some time soon."

With Danny's arms round her and the promise that they were safe, that _he_ was safe, that all would be well.

Isabel wiped a tired hand over her face. "I want him back," she whispered, half to herself. "So very much."

She shook herself and looked across at Tess. "We should get some rest. You want the bed? I'm happy with the couch."

Tess bit her lip. Isabel saw her face and her expression softened.

"Or we can stay put." She gave Tess a small smile. "I don't want to be on my own either."

* * *

><p>The chain wouldn't give. Not that they could get proper purchase on it but no amount of swinging on it or tugging was going to release it.<p>

"Leave it," Danny panted after what seemed like the hundredth and fortieth time of trying.

"Never give up, never surrender," Rusty pointed out, breathing hard.

He saw Danny crack a smile.

"Oh, we're not doing either," Danny promised. "Let's just call this a tactical breather."

"I'll go with that." Rusty gave the chain one last wrench and then let the links fall from his fingers in disgust.

"So this is a slick little number."

"Yeah." It was. Designed to keep them wide awake. "Doubt Bawtry came up with this."

There was a thoughtful silence.

"You think this seems like Terry?"

Rusty considered and shrugged, wincing as he did so. This chain was easy to forget right up to the point where it wasn't.

"Petty-minded humiliations? I'd say Terry's a contender."

"Mmm." Danny didn't seem convinced. "Just that he has to know there are-"

"Consequences," Rusty finished, nodding. Lots of 'em.

"Did you see her face?" Danny's voice was low and edged with pain.

"Yeah."

He'd seen it. Terry's words biting deep through Tess and that wasn't playing the game. You went after protagonists, not their family.

"Suppose we should have taken that story about the brother-in-law's tractor dealership more seriously," Rusty suggested lightly.

Danny was silent and Rusty could read all the _I should have protected her_ and the unvented frustration.

"Tell me it felt good to punch him."

"It felt _won_derful."

"Good." Danny sighed. "I just hope she's OK."

Rusty shifted uncomfortably and Danny looked at him curiously. "What is it?"

He didn't want to share the thought that had occurred but he had to. "I told her to stay away from Terry."

Danny frowned and then his eyes widened. "You think Terry would- Tess _wouldn't!" _He stared at Rusty in horror. "If he lays a finger on her- if he dares ask her to…Tess wouldn't," he said again and it sounded like a feeble attempt to convince himself.

Rusty's face was full of sympathy and understanding and _sorry_ because there was unavoidable truth here.

"Tess loves you as much as-" He broke off. They both knew the end of that sentence. "She doesn't love you any _less._ And that means there's nothing she wouldn't do."

There were no limits and Danny knew it as well as he did.

Danny's face crumpled.

"Hey." Gently, Rusty pushed up against him, shoulder to shoulder. "We'll get out of here. We'll sort this."

Danny blinked hard and then Rusty could see the resolve fill him. He nodded. "We will."


End file.
